Momay's Blog

I enjoy reading the tips and suggestions on finding an honest or good mechanic. These can be found on various government and consumer websites, and in a variety of auto repair articles. I think the same guy wrote all the suggestions, and for all 50 states!

You’ll be advised to check around by word of mouth (WOM), and make sure that you see ASE or AAA posted somewhere. Check out the facility—make sure it’s clean. Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You’ll be acronymed and common-sense-suggested to death. Unfortunately, none of it will really help either for quality or price.

I know AAA certified shops that can barely change oil. I have worked with ASE certified technicians that frightened me with their diagnostic theories. I know shops that are considered great that have serious BBB scars.

And WOM is the worst method. I have heard clients rave about how wonderful a particular shop is when "I KNOW it’s run by a thief!"

The sad fact is that very few people know what goes on with car repair, and even less comprehend repair pricing—even shop managers and purported experts in the field know very little.

Tips and suggestions only scratch at the surface of the automotive underworld. Sure, some tips might help. But what’s really needed is experienced insider information.

The consumer needs to know what really goes on with repair "pricing" in order to make sense of auto repair costs. With the right guidance and information, the playing field can be leveled, and the automotive customer can easily take charge of car repair prices.

Traditional tips and suggestions are only a band-aid on an open, gaping wound. Relying on these is like trusting a blind man to lead you across a major interstate. You might make it, but wouldn't you rather follow a traffic cop.

About The Author

Theodore P. Olson (Ted) holds extensive certifications from Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, GM, and ASE. He is the author of eight books and numerous articles on the automotive service industry. RepairTrust Making Sense of http://www.repairtrust.com

Moscow has managed to outstrip New York and take one of the world leading positions in the number of cars per square kilometre. By the end of November 2006 the number of cars in Moscow is expected to exceed 3 million 200 thousand; scientists worry that busy traffic in the capital of Russia poses a threat of ecological catastrophe. In project there exist various prospects of solving the problem: paid roads in central parts of the city, the toughest control over petrol quality, ban on transit for drivers from other regions. Authorities are planning to put most of the ideas into life within the shortest period of time.

The growth of auto transport quantity in the capital has undoubtedly gone out of control: in rush hours Moscow roads are overflown with more than 850 thousand cars: 4/5 of all atmosphere polluting emissions in the city have fallen at auto transport, hence many of the pollutive enterprises were compelled to leave the areas within the Moscow Ring Road. Ecologists claim that the situation with poisonous emissions is critical and Muscovites' lives are under potential threat.

Cars moving through the centre of the city blow out around 150 thousand tons of emissions annually, while industrial factories located in the central districts of Moscow – only 2 thousand tons. At the present moment the level of nitrogen dioxide and small suspended particles in the capital’s atmosphere has equalled with that in Paris, Madrid, and New York.

70% of all cars in Moscow are quite old and were made in Russia which means that many of them have gasoline-engine not even meeting the Euro-1 standards. 15% are used foreign-made cars with engines matching the standards of Euro-2 and only 15% of all new foreign-made cars meet the standards of Euro-3 accepted in Europe. Following European auto standards for Russia means more than modernisation – it’s a matter of survival.

Ecologists are also discussing the need of tough petrol quality control in the capital of Russia aimed at avoidance of additive agents found in most of petrol tests held on local petrol stations. The most spread agent found by experts is tetraethyl lead which was proved to change genetic characteristics of biological organisms, including humans.

A strict ban on transit of freight transport in Moscow is another potential measure. Some authorities are sure that 80% of freight traffic is constituted by illegal auto transport, including private organisations from Moldova, Dagestan, Ukraine, and other countries and regions. Representatives of ecological policy claim that next year a special law restricting driving on several roads and districts of the city will appear. First of all, such law is planned to apply to the most problematic and critical areas of Moscow.

One more idea seen by authorities as an effective solution of the “cars crisis” is paid access to the centre of the capital, toughening control over technical condition of cars, and systematisation of traffic on the main thoroughfares of the city.

Source: www.trud.ru

Photos: deviantart.com

Lavrentyeva Natalya

About The Author

This content is provided by Lavrentyeva Natalya. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on Russia and other useful information, please visit http://www.russia-ic.com/travel/.

Should I Do A Classic Car Restoration - Or Should I Sell It?

Most of us know people who would like to throw any excuse for not caring for their cars. One reason might be financial inability; they say that can't afford to restore it and they simply leave it unattended just seeing it rusting in their back yard. After some years of continually increased rust development, the time has finally come for sending it to the crusher rather than see somebody else caring for it or buying it. "If I can't have it, nobody else should!" - reflects a nasty attitude that unfortunately is prevailing in some peoples mind. After using the vehicle for years they don't even care about it or even sell it. Classic car restoration is the ultimate way to give your old classic vehicle a lease of life and give it a new look. If you can you should definitely try to restore it, especially if you are a classic automobile lover.

I have found a few places on the web to help you sell your car, or to buy one of course, but for now I will keep harping on the fact that you should not just let your old classic car rot away. What are the reasons for that, you might ask.

3 Reasons For Taking Care of Your Old Classic Auto

1. The first reason is fairly obvious; they don't build them anymore, and their getting very hard to find in decent shape, people are always looking for the classic American cars (or Am Cars), and as long as their still around, people from all over the world will never stop looking for them.

2. The second reason is this, if these cars just disappear, we lose out on all the class and style that they have to give us, every one of the old cars has its own look and feel, as well as it's own style, unlike the new cars, that all just seem to look alike.

3. The third reason; Imagine you wake up one day, and all the classic cars are just gone, like the dinosaurs that once roamed the earth, what if we wake up and all the cars just look the same, what a boring life that would be, every one looks like the imports do. Well, I can't say nothing but this: don't ever let it happen.

If you own a classic auto and do not have an idea of restoring it or if you cannot afford to restore it then better sell it to anyone who is interested in your vehicle.

This would help to have it around somewhere in the world. You should avoid though, to look at it as your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I think it would be wiser to think about what you have and the condition that it is in, and do your selling effort accordingly. Keep in mind that most classic car buyers aren't idiots, and you can't slip one by them.

If you plan to sell your classic vehicle You can do a simple research on it before you announce it for sale. Honesty is the best; don't rip off somebody for just wanting your old classic car. If you sell them what they want and nothing else you have done what you can do, unless you want to restore it yourself. There are many quality sites on the web that help you to sell your classic car. Just do a simple search on your favorite search engine, and you will get the information you need and a little bit more.

About The Author

Terry Bolton is a writer and internet publisher who likes to publish informative articles about classic vehicles and related issues. Read more at http://www.11-classic-cars.com.

 

Momay

to Momay